News & Media

2 years ago in Community , Media release , Community engagement , Sustainability

(22/9/17) The future of our coastline is up to all of us

The Town of Mosman Park and the City of Fremantle are working together to preserve and protect our local beaches and are seeking community input on a draft plan.

The two councils are jointly investigating and managing coastal erosion and identifying potential risks including those caused by storm surges and flooding along local coastal areas at Port, Leighton and Mosman Beaches.

Some of the draft recommendations include seawalls, dune stabilisation and revegetation, revised coastal management strategies, community awareness campaigns and additional ongoing monitoring programs.

The draft plan shows an indicative cost of around $34m over the next 50 years.

According to Mayor of Mosman Park, Ron Norris, the feedback received on the plan will ensure the recommendations reflect the values and needs of the local community.

“The community has provided important initial insights through an online survey highlighting the key things they enjoy and value about the coast, and specifically about our own Mossie Beach. Now that we’ve consolidated those insights, and added those of our friends from Fremantle, we need the community’s considered views on the draft plan going forward,” said Mayor Norris.

“The draft plan builds a long-term framework to engage the community in decision making that affects all three beaches in response to the coastal risks that we share. Anyone who has visited Mossie Beach recently, and seen the erosion, would appreciate the immediacy and importance of this issue.”

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said coastal erosion and flooding was a real and present risk that needed to be managed.

“Our beaches are a huge part of who we are as a community, so protecting them not only for people now, but for future generations to enjoy is really important,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“Developing a long-term approach to safeguard what people value most about these areas is the priority of this plan.”

Local residents and visitors to local beaches are encouraged read more about the project, and download the draft Coastal Hazard Risk Management Adaption Plan by visiting mysay.fremantle.wa.gov.au/coast-plan